Paige Bueckers Explains Why Azzi Fudd is Geno Auriemma's 'Princess'
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team takes on Farleigh Dickinson University at home on Wednesday.
This game is significant for a few reasons. One of them is that Geno Auriemma is currently tied with legendary Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in NCAA Division I basketball history, with 1,216. Therefore, a win on Wednesday means that Auriemma will hold that prestigious record on his own.
Auriemma's record chase is the reason why over 60 of his former players are expected to be present at the game. However, they'll get treated to something else significant: the return of Azzi Fudd from injury.
UConn women's basketball's X account revealed on Wednesday morning that Fudd is cleared to return after missing about a year due to a torn ACL.
It's already well-known that Fudd is an elite sharpshooter. But when speaking with the media before Wednesday's game, Huskies superstar Paige Bueckers detailed that her teammate's game has more layers.
"Everything," Bueckers said when asked what Fudd brings UConn, per X user @nessaloveswbb. "I said it the other day, I think she's one of the most perfect basketball players. There's not a flaw in her game, there's nothing you can really yell at her at.
"Which is why she's like, the princess, from coach," Bueckers added.
She continued about Fudd, saying, "Just consistency every single day, you know what you're going to get from Azzi. Aggressive scoring, pesky on defense, and just plays with an energy and a passion. And we're all excited to have her back."
azzi fudd you are so loved 🥹🥹🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/PwdMBYMFR2
— nessa (@nessaloveswbb) November 20, 2024
It will be interesting to see how long it takes Fudd to shake off any rust she accrued from her time spent sidelined.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.